Brenda Pike, Oak Harbor, WAMember Since September 2006Artist Statement I was born in Detroit Michigan in 1949. In 1951 my family moved to Battle Creek Michigan. This move was very important to my artistic career because the Kellogg Company and Kellogg Foundation was in Battle Creek and heavily invested in the Arts both in the community and in the school system.

From early on I was in special music and art classes. One never knows where this training will take you but I had a wonderful journey. I took violin and voice lessons starting in the 4th grade. I was also in special art classes. I was told in the 6th grade that I had to choose between art classes and music classes I could not do both. In the 10th grade I was told I had to choose between vocal music and orchestra. I choose vocal music. This was a turning point in my career because I dropped print art altogether. I was in musical performances; stage shows and the high school choir went on a tour of Europe and won an international music festival when I was 18.

I pursued a career as a vocal music education student in college and became a vocal music educator teaching K through 12 music in Michigan. I taught for 3 years while still performing in very high quality singing groups in Midland Michigan, Dowell Chemical Company supported Midland Performing Arts and the Center for the Arts was glorious.

I left teaching to sing with a professional singing show and kept singing professionally for about 10 years. Being afraid to really push into show business on the west coast. I left professional singing and took a detour into the corporate world as a pharmaceutical sales and marketing person in Palo Alto California. During this time I got a Masters Degree in Human Behavior. I have stayed in the medical business for 25 years.

My husband and I moved to Whidbey Island to pursue the art we both left years ago. I have taken pictures since 1981. I am self-taught, I study lots of pictures, camera and electronic instruction books and I notice everything. I like what I do and am always inspired by lovely sights of all types.

I hope to inspire through my vision of the world and through my camera lens.